Infiniti is an established name in North America, but a newcomer in Australia. It is being pitched as a sporty luxury brand and the G37 is the coupe in the range. On size and price it goes up against the BMW 3-Series coupe, Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe. How do you rate its chances? You live in America, is Infiniti seen as serious player there?

She

I do see a lot of Infiniti vehicles, mostly in sedan guise. They are up against some fearsome reputations in this category, but I do think since the Chrysler 300C brought "cool Americana" to the Aussie market we are more open to a roomier, plusher interpretation of luxury. And as long as you are not trying to get into the back seats, it’s a mightily comfortable, well-specced thing wouldn’t you say?

He

Advertisement

Yeah, the list of standard equipment is pretty long - adaptive front lights, a sunroof, a reversing camera, sat-nav and a sound system with a 10GB hard drive. It also undercuts its German rivals by more than $15,000. But is that enough to lure buyers to a new, unproven brand? Infiniti is still asking for more than $80,000 for a car only a handful of enthusiasts have heard of.

She

Nissan’s luxury division is throwing bags of swag into a blingy, but inherently solid, vehicle with a bit of go and good safety. It’s a smart strategy but a few things about this car trouble me: Houdini-esque access to the rear seats and a really firm, almost rocky ride.

He

Yeah, this is where the G37 struggles for me - the driving experience. Infiniti’s slogan is ‘‘inspired performance’’ and I don’t feel the G37 is a performance match for an Audi A5 3.0 TFSI, BMW 335i or Mercedes-Benz C350 Coupe. The steering is great, thanks to the four-wheel steer system but I agree the ride was harsh at times. What did you make of the interior?

She

Not bad, although operation of the radio and other entertainment bits was a bit convoluted. I quite like the deep seat contours and extensive leather. There’s a lot going on with the lines and detailing but the build quality looks great. And although I found shifting through with paddles had a slight clunk to it, I did love the V6 engine.

He

You didn’t think the interior had a few too many Nissan switches and buttons for a car with an $80,000 price tag?

She

If this car was $65k it would be a terrific buy: lots of gear and extensive safety kit. In reality, will that $83,500 pricetag be discounted?

He

So far the sales have been slow, only 10 across the entire range in January, but Infiniti Australia has been careful not to set any targets. Part of the problem is the G37 Coupe is an old design, it’s been around since 2007. Infiniti has just unveiled its new compact sedan, the Q50, but it will be another year or two before we get the coupe version of that. Maybe it would have been wiser to wait, to give a better first impression of what the brand is really capable of?

She

I would either have priced the G37 into a super competitive spot or let the Q50 do the talking. There was a lot to like about the G37 but as an untried package I think the price is a bit steep. What would convince you to own one?

He

The G37 has a unique style that stands out from the competition and you do get plenty of gear. But for me it’s too much money for a car that lacks the driving enjoyment you expect in a sporty coupe. But another luxury car choice can only be good for us consumers.